Dogtags

[usafcap1]

So my squadron bought a 1940s Dogtag machine. The form we have to fill out to get our Dogtags asks: Branch of service. So I guess my question is what is my branch of service. . . Is it  USAF, USAFA, USAFCAP, USAFACAP, CAP, USAF-CAP. Just wondering before I spend money on DTs then find out that there wrong.



Thanks

[Eclipse]

CAP or USAF AUX.

[SarDragon]

Why do you need dog tags?

[Extremepredjudice]

Why do you need dog tags?

In case SM bagodoughnuts dies valiantly making more coffee.

[SarDragon]

SM Bagodonuts is already required to have his membership/ID card in his possession, so tags are redundant.

[flyboy53]

It goes in this order...at least that's how my dog tags are stamped:

Last Name
First Name and Middle Initial
SSAN and service (mine is XXX-XX-XXXX AF (I would recommend CAP here)
Blood Type
Religion (not sure if this is mandatory or optional)

As far as why...why not...I have four sets...and still wear one with a third tag that has AF Core Values stamped on it...gives you an idea of how many times I either deployed or was deployable.

Some purests will lace one or more dog tag into their boots. I still wear one set; old habits are hard to break. It's also because I'm an active aircrew member.

[Eclipse]

SM Bagodonuts is already required to have his membership/ID card in his possession, so tags are redundant.

Not when Bago's crispy remains are intermingled with those of others, or he is incapacitated far from home.

I wear them when I'm in those situations with CAP - better that the family can get my death certificate early and not have to
delay their trip to Hawaii.

[manfredvonrichthofen]

Because when you are already used to wearing something and you don't wear it or try something else, it just doesn't feel right. Like being married for years wearing a wedding ring and not having it one day just feels weird.

[abdsp51]

Don't wear  them unless deployed.  Had a special set made up for me and an ex-gf that I wore in my boot.  I'm curious as to why we in would need a set?

[lordmonar]

Well...if you got the machine and it doesn't cost that much.....why not?  Of course you don't need it...but if it makes you feel good....go for it.

[wuzafuzz]

Challenge Dog Tags are cheaper than Challenge Coins  ;-)

I'll take a set bearing the title "Emperor of The Universe, Class Clown, and CUL"

[Flying Pig]

It goes in this order...at least that's how my dog tags are stamped:

Last Name
First Name and Middle Initial
SSAN and service (mine is XXX-XX-XXXX AF (I would recommend CAP here)
Blood Type
Religion (not sure if this is mandatory or optional)As far as why...why not...I have four sets...and still wear one with a third tag that has AF Core Values stamped on it...gives you an idea of how many times I either deployed or was deployable.

Some purests will lace one or more dog tag into their boots. I still wear one set; old habits are hard to break. It's also because I'm an active aircrew member.

It would say either "None" or "No Pref"  At least thats how I saw them when I was in . 

They would probably be cool for cadets.  But there would be no reason in CAP unless your in an incident where you think you may be demolished beyond identification and your body left in a field somewhere in a foreign land.  As a grunt, one goes in your boot, the other either goes around your neck or (as we all did it in the infantry) looped it through your right side belt look and stuck the chain and tag in your right pocket.  Most grunts I new didnt wear it around their neck.  I didnt.  The chain was always pulling the hair out of my chest!
9 times out of 10 the one in the boot was the only one anybody ever wore.  Novelty for CAP?  Yes. Needed?  No.  It would be fun though until you really stopped to think about why service members wear them.

[ol'fido]

My unit was OC when it came to dogtags. You had to wear them on duty and in the field. You had to wear both on a chain around the neck(including one on the small chain). Plus if you had allergies, you had to wear the red allergy/medical alert tag. I usually pulled the guts out of a piece of 550 cord and fed the long chain through it so that the chain was only a little longer than the 550 and then I used 100 mph tape to tape the tags and the little chain together. The 550 cord and the tape worked a lot better than the silencer kits they sold at the PX.

[manfredvonrichthofen]

I couldn't stand the kits, they were junk. I wear them as they come, except for taping the tags together.

[Ford73Diesel]

I don't know if I would put my SSN on it if I didn't have to. You know how cadets loose things... A metal tag with your SSN floating around is like asking for someone to steal your identity.

[SarDragon]

Then use the CAPID.

[flyboy53]

It goes in this order...at least that's how my dog tags are stamped:

Last Name
First Name and Middle Initial
SSAN and service (mine is XXX-XX-XXXX AF (I would recommend CAP here)
Blood Type
Religion (not sure if this is mandatory or optional)

As far as why...why not...I have four sets...and still wear one with a third tag that has AF Core Values stamped on it...gives you an idea of how many times I either deployed or was deployable.

Some purests will lace one or more dog tag into their boots. I still wear one set; old habits are hard to break. It's also because I'm an active aircrew member.

It would say either "None" or "No Pref"  At least thats how I saw them when I was in . 

They would probably be cool for cadets.  But there would be no reason in CAP unless your in an incident where you think you may be demolished beyond identification and your body left in a field somewhere in a foreign land.  As a grunt, one goes in your boot, the other either goes around your neck or (as we all did it in the infantry) looped it through your right side belt look and stuck the chain and tag in your right pocket.  Most grunts I new didnt wear it around their neck.  I didnt.  The chain was always pulling the hair out of my chest!
9 times out of 10 the one in the boot was the only one anybody ever wore.  Novelty for CAP?  Yes. Needed?  No.  It would be fun though until you really stopped to think about why service members wear them.

I hated the siliencer kts, too. All that plastic made it seem like you were wearing something heavy around your neck. Then I was reminded one day that all that plastic melts if you're in that situation.

The coolest part of dog tags for my family was that both of my kids were born during Desert Storm and each was issued two sets of dog tags as military dependents. One of each set had "Desert Stork" stamped on the bottom line. The tags came from the CBPO when they were enrolled in DEERS.

As far as CAP goes; I was in a unit years ago on a base in Ohio and that squadron commander had dog tags made up for morale purposes and would give one with a letter of commendation for those acts that warranted it. I still have the letter with the tag attached.

[Al Sayre]

Y'all aren't thinking outside the box.  This is a great fundraising idea.  Take that puppy to local air shows, gun shows etc. and sell the tags for $5.00/set.  You can probably fund sending 2 or 3 cadets to encampment for every day you're there...

[RMW14]

I understand that CAP has no real need for the intended purpose of the tags, if I could get my hands on one of those machines, it could be a neat thing for cadets. I am not sure if anyone else on here was in the PA Wing in the 90's, but at the end of Encampment, every cadet that completed was given a set of tags with name, Civil Air Patrol, Encampment East, the year of encampment, and FTIG (Fort Indiantown Gap) stamped on them. Considering this was 1996 when I went to Encampment and I still have them sitting on my desk, the tags can also give a cadet something to keep with them besides the memories or the certificate.

I also like the fundraiser idea!

[bflynn]

Why do you need dog tags?

In case you get killed, shot or blown up, they can identify the body for the next of kin.  There's two you see.  You take one so you can use it to report someone KIA and the other you leave with the body in a secure location - depending on the wound, that could be inside the chest cav...

Oh, you mean why does CAP need them?  So they can be military pretenders.  There's no other reason.